Maui Region Transition: Please provide your feedback

August 23, 2016

We need to hear from you. The state administration is attempting to reach a deal with HGEA by this Friday, Aug. 26. See information below and then email comments to Special Assistant to the Executive Director, Irene Puuohau, at ipuuohau@hgea.org. Use the subject line Maui Region Transition in your response. Please take the time to participate and engage with us on this matter by tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 24 at midnight.

Since the time that the Maui Region hospital privatization bill passed, HGEA has been fighting for more than just working out our current contracts. We have continuously said that the dedicated workers of Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital and Lanai Community Hospital should be fairly compensated for being terminated from their state positions.

Legislators agreed when they first passed and then overrode the governor's veto of SB 2077 which is now known as Act 1.

Now, because the implementation of Act 1 is stalled due to court proceedings, including a temporary restraining order that was approved by a judge on Monday, Aug. 22., HGEA is in discussions with the state to attempt to resolve issues and come to a fair resolution for you.

The state claims it is prepared to offer HGEA members an agreement that is similar to the deal it reached with UPW to resolve its lawsuit.

Gov. David Ige listed the following as the key points of the UPW settlement in his public news conference and press release:

The Maui Region hospitals will be transferred from Hawaii Health System Corporation management to Kaiser not earlier than November 6, 2016.

The Maui Region hospitals will be operated and managed exclusively by Kaiser.

UPW bargaining unit employees will work under Kaiser’s supervision and direction and still be covered by UPW collective bargaining agreements until those agreements expire on June 30, 2017.

Kaiser will offer to hire UPW employees for a period of six months starting July 1, 2017.

UPW employees who elect to remain state employees until the end of the contract period have the option to go through the reduction-in-force (RIF) process

While we continue discussions regarding fair terms for employees in the immediate future, HGEA will continue to fight for the provisions outlined in Act 1.

In addition to the parity above, we would be seeking the severance portion of Act 1 to be paid out promptly, while the question relating to the early retirement option is tied up in the courts.

Again, we are very interested in hearing from you. Please provide your feedback by midnight or earlier on Wednesday, Aug. 24, to Special Assistant to the Executive Director, Irene Puuohau, at ipuuohau@hgea.org. Use the subject line Maui Region Transition in your response.